


Forgotten Rosary

by BrittleMoth



Series: Flipping off Our Days of Revelation [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Blood and Gore, Emotional Manipulation, Fix-It of Sorts, Hurt/Comfort, Kakuhida - Freeform, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sickfic, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Relationships, slight SasoDei, though it doesn't revolve around sickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 11:24:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrittleMoth/pseuds/BrittleMoth
Summary: Kakuzu survives his encounter with the Hidden Leaf thanks to a debt that was owed to him. Despite his body being in tatters he survived the ordeal in one state of mind though the same can't be said for Hidan who is in literal pieces. Kakuzu sees an opportunity in this situation and decides to put his partner back together in both mind and body. His goal should be to rebuild Hidan to who he was before. But it isn't.





	Forgotten Rosary

**Author's Note:**

> Wow it's been YEARS since I was involved in the Naruto fandom, let alone writing fanfiction. I will admit I'm pretty nervous about this but I'm also excited. This is one of many "Fix it of sorts" fics that I plan to warm myself up for another Akatsuki-centric AU. A quick warning, this fic was not betaed in any way, please forgive any typos! I hope you enjoy!

Hidan snuffled quietly and pressed himself up against the secure warmth. It was a firm and steady warmth that permeated through him, completely wrapping around and pushing away the cold that had lingered for as long as his fevered mind could remember. 

The semblance of a smile came up his face as those arms that wrapped around him began to move slowly up and down as firm hands stroked his side. The grip wasn't just reassuring, but also asserted the dominance of their owner. 

Another time, this sort of embrace would have warranted an intensely aggressive backlash. He would have snarled and lashed out with all his might to escape feeling trapped. But then he learned what being trapped truly felt like.

Now he eagerly accepts it, clings to it as if that belonging was the only thing keeping him alive rather than the curse of his invulnerable constitution. He turns to the side and presses his face against that solid expanse, the sound of the many hearts soothing his own.

In this state of a calm he never knew was possible, he was blissfully unaware of the complicated thoughts whirling through the mind of his guardian. 

Yes, that sounded like the right word for it he supposed. As long as he belonged then he would always be safe. A thought to consider for when he was more coherent.

Kakuzu stared down at this man with a mixture of disbelief and satisfaction. 

The first being from the pure absurdity of this situation. If anyone told him that one day that cocky idiot would be curled up pliant as an exhausted child against him, fists curled into his shirt and blissfully anywhere of his surroundings, Kakuzu would have done... well something. 

Perhaps something quick and violent. Which was how he usually did business until now.

But that satisfaction, for he refused to give this feeling any other name, is what guided him through this foolish ordeal. For there was a certain satisfaction the former Hidden Waterfall nin felt as he watched Hidan lie obediently in his lap and cradled like a frightened pet. 

His head was a mess of silver, damp locks resting in the crook of Kakuzu’s arm and chest. His features were relaxed and completely smooth despite the cuts that covered it. Kakuzu expected them to heal with time but what captured his attention was that expression. He had thought he’d seen the full range of this man’s expressions, which wasn’t much. Kakuzu had seen Hidan’s carefree arrogance, boiling disgust, gleeful reverence, explosive rage, and the occasional sullen glaring. Sometimes all of this in the same day. He hadn’t been aware the other missing nin was capable of something so serene, so peaceful.

Kakuzu would never admit this, along with many other things, but he would be sure to catalog this expression with the others. Another thing about Hidan that was only his, that would belong to him as long as he saw fit. 

He felt that familiar rush coil in his chest and stomach as he continued to watch the sleeping cultist who had finally quieted down. The only indication of the fevered tantrum Hidan had earlier was his flushed cheeks and the light scratches he inflicted on himself when he curled in on himself tightly and dug his fingers into his delicate skin.

Kakuzu had been mildly annoyed in that moment as it seemed he had to quell one outburst after another, but it also provided him with the opportunity to finally assert himself over the other. Something he had been seeking since he had begun this venture. Something that had been mere curiosity that was now turned into a path he sought to walk, even if he would have to drag Hidan along. From the way things were going he doubted it would be much of an effort.

Hidan shivered slightly and curled tighter around his partner, his legs pushing slightly into Kakuzu’s side and hands gripping just a bit more, and buried his face nuzzling slightly against his chest once again. Kakuzu brought him a bit closer and tucked the blanket surrounding the zealot neatly. 

Earlier when he tried to do more than drape it around him, Hidan struggled as if Kakuzu were attempting to strangle him.

Kakuzu turned to look across the dimly lit room to see that pendant lying on the unused dresser. He had yet to give it to Hidan and decided to wait until he was more coherent. It was no use upsetting him now that he was finally calm.

They were resting in the cheap inn Kakuzu had rented out for the next few days. The price itself wasn’t the cheap part, as he paid a painful penny for the silence and privacy they needed, but the quality was subpar at best.

The banker didn’t mind so much considering they place was just somewhere to recuperate. It also provided the quiet clarity he needed to sort his head out. Hidan hadn’t protested much either, not that he could in his state right now.

When Kakuzu moved a hand to gently clear away some stray strands the immortal simply let out a happy sigh and nuzzled against his chest softly without hesitance.

It was as if the idiot was trying to burrow himself away. Which would be ironic considering what he had just went through.

As if their thoughts were linked, the younger’s brow furrowed with worry. He let out a small whine and dug his fingers tightly into the soft fabric of his shirt. 

Kakuzu rumbled out “None of that now.” and effectively hushed him. Though his brow stayed furrowed until the former Hidden Waterfall nin cupped his cheek with a calloused hand. 

He ran his thumb gently over his cheek and murmured “Good boy.”

The Jashinist relaxed again and turned to meet the gentle hand. He let out another happy sigh in what seemed like appreciation to Kakuzu.

‘Which is something he should have.’ Kakuzu reminded himself after what seemed to be countless times. He knew, but wouldn’t admit, that he wouldn’t have been here without a little help as well.

He would never voice it though. Not as long as he was able to look down at the younger man with this dedication, no possessiveness, that had been unknown to the older immortal until this point.

An activity he intended to maintain at least for a time, once the desire passed he would once again be rid of the blundering fool. 

Kakuzu let out a chuckle at that. Hidan was a fool without a doubt, but if he wasn’t then they would have never been in this situation, which had brought about this fascination in the first place. All of Hidan’s struggling and pushing back against someone telling what to do or how to do it left him in the perfect place for Kakuzu to do what he will. It was something Kakuzu planned to take full advantage of, he was never one to squander an opportunity.

He leaned back against the sturdy headboard of the cool bed they both were on top of. He turned his gaze away from Hidan resting in his lap with his legs curled around his side and looked straight ahead at the wall.

He studied the cracked areas and the bad paint job that failed miserably to cover a bloodstain. 

It seems the place they were staying was used to guest like themselves, and he was once again grateful for Sasori’s recommendation before they parted ways.

Kakuzu let out a weary sigh as he mind worked to piece together how to go about their current situation just as he pieced together Hidan’s body not so many days ago. 

The gentle tapping of rain upon the window whose blinds were closed tightly eased the now former Akatsuki member’s mind back into contemplation and strategizing.

 

But at the moment it drifted to the recent events that brought him here now.  
~~~~~~  
Kakuzu had thought he was dead when that Jinchuriki got the best of him, a fact he begrudgingly admits after allowing himself to be goaded into a fight.

But then he had woken up with a hammering beneath his skull, squinting up at the dim light of the cave. He could tell it was a cave from the hard ground beneath him and the stone that seemed to covered every surface Kakuzu could see which wasn’t much considering his double vision at the moment.

He had turned his head to the side and slowly took in as many facts as he could:

His clearly missing hearts, the way he barely registered sensation in his arms or legs, his vision that blurred as he tried to focus, and the pain that throbbed through his body without any clear source. His mouth was dry from lack of moisture and he swallowed roughly.

 

Throughout this self-assessment he had thought he was quiet but he must have groaned as a chiding voice 'tched' and pressed a hand to his chest.

He didn’t even realize he had been struggling to sit up despite all that ailed him until that hand held him firm.

Kakuzu startled much to chagrin. He hadn't even seen the person on his otherside. Yet to his relief he was met with that stony gaze of Sasori, outside of his main puppet, Hiruko he thinks it was called, for once. 

"That kid did a real number on you." The puppet master said more to himself than Kakuzu.  
The nin in question furrowed his eyebrows and attempted to respond and instead let out a harsh groan. 

"Relax my man." Another voice came out from beyond his line of sight, if those blurs he saw could even be worthy of that. 

"I'll admit you looked pretty rough, but if there is one thing Sasori is good at his preserving the dead."The nonchalant voice, which he identified as the Akatsuki's bomber, said jokingly.

Then one comment went to another and Kakuzu was forced to endure the banter about art that Deidara and Sasori seemed to enjoy repeating.

However this time to himself was what he needed to sort out his thoughts. 

First was to push down the annoyance at being tricked by those self-righteousness Hidden Leaf brats. After all the lives their village had taken he found it only a bit humorous that they felt they were owed some sort of vengeance.

The world didn't work on karma, it was based on the strong doing what they want and the weak enduring what the must.

Then he had remembered Hidan whose blundering ass got whisked away by that kid with his taunts and shadow manipulation. That was the last he saw of his partner and had only vaguely considered when that Jinchuriki brat went for a killing blow.

He would be sure to ask the artist duo how they managed to get him out later but now his mind was running on a particular track, one he wouldn’t get off until he reached a destination he wasn’t even sure about. 

Kakuzu wasn't worried by any means, why would he care about whatever fate Hidan met? The brat could live through anything. 

But why wasn't he here? Had they captured him for information? 

Kakuzu let out another groan, unaware that he elicited the attention of the two artists who had been carried away in their banter.

No, that couldn't be it. Otherwise they wouldn't have went all out to kill Kakuzu.

That had been a mission to kill the duo not extract information. Then if that wasn't it then what else could have befallen the zealot?

'Hidan...that idiot.' He thought through the bleary pain as he blinked a couple times to try to regain clearer vision but failed.

"He wasn't anywhere to be seen." One of the voices told him. He didn't pay much attention to who as he was more surprised he had said that out loud.

"Ha maybe they did kill him. That goes to show that eternity-" the bomber cut himself off as Kakuzu was able to shoot a fierce glare in his direction. 

"Okay, okay I'll lay off." Deidara raised his hands up in a sign of appeasement even if Kakuzu himself couldn't make out the gesture.

'It's cold.' He thought absentmindedly as he realized he didn’t have much covering him and he was lying on top of the torn up remnants of his cloak.

He tried to lift his arm closer to himself to keep in the scarce amount of warmth he had left but even then he couldn't muster that, just a vague twitching of his fingers.

Sasori came closer to examine his side, his voice and expression cool as ever.

"You will recover fine enough, you'll probably be up and running in a few days." He confirmed.

Kakuzu shot a questioning look at the red head, and Sasori seemed to catch the hint as he answered “We’re at one of my earlier hideouts I established before I left the Hidden Sand. It is one of the few I haven’t alerted the Akatsuki about.”

Despite his dazed state Kakuzu was able to make out the shift in the air. Whereas his partner had always seemed to react to physical stimulus it was more required of Kakuzu to read an atmosphere.

And he didn’t need any further explanation. As far as the Akatsuki was concerned, the immortal duo had not survived their encounter with the Hidden Leaf shinobi.

There were many implications to that idea. Some that struck fear and others anticipation for he had not truly been free since his recruitment.

Yet he did not consider the implications or the reason Sasori and Deidara had aided him with no cost at all. It was merely a repayment of a debt since Kakuzu managed to save Sasori after the extraction of the One Tailed Beast.

Deidara had shown more outward gratitude about it which explained why he had tried to warn Hidan and Kakuzu earlier. But he was glad to see Sasori seemed to understand the idea of a fair exchange.  
None of this mattered though. His foggy mind could only make out one issue right now, one major concern that overridden the rest.

“Did...they take…” Kakuzu swallowed as he rasped out those few words. Deidara caught his drift and glanced toward Sasori first. The puppet master said nothing, only nodding as if to give him the go ahead. That annoyed the banker markedly for a moment. Who were they to withhold information?

His ire vanished though as Deidara began to explain, putting down the clay he had been molding. “I don’t think so hmm.” he began evenly though it was clear he was carefully considering his words.

“I wasn’t able to see any traces of a body or them taking him back to their village. Some ways from where you got taken down I did find an area that looked like it had seen some better days.”

Deidara had been leaning against the wall, something Kakuzu hadn’t noticed, until he moved to sit on a stool. He fixed his visible eye on the mound of clay he wasn’t molding.

“The ground looked overturned, as if the dirt had been taken out and put back into place hmm.” Deidara finished a bit uneasily.

Kakuzu wasn’t aware of it, but the two artists had discussed it extensively before both reached the same conclusion. One, from the looks of it, Kakuzu was reaching himself.

An unexpected wave of adrenaline hit him as he considered this possibility that quickly seemed to becoming a reality. 

‘And they call us monsters.’ He thought with another frustrated groan, and he had to admit he was impressed at the creativity and efficiency. Definitely that shadow manipulator’s idea. 

He clenched his left hand in a fist tightly and turned his gaze away from the bomber who seemed to relax from the corner of his eye.

“It was too dangerous to get him back.” Sasori continued easily, as if they were talking about something simple and systemic like the ingredients to the poisons he prided himself on. 

“The area was crawling with Hidden Leaf shinobi but my spies tell me the area where Hidan is has been left alone for a bit. If the activity stays low then Deidara will get him out.” He finished cooly, ignoring the pointed glare he got from the other artist.

Kakuzu tuned out the ensuing bickering as Deidara protested his lack of autonomy in this decision. None of that mattered, if Deidara failed then Kakuzu knew where to go.

A few days had passed and Kakuzu quickly regained his strength. Due to Sasori’s art, the redhead was easily able to procure the hearts necessary to aid the former Waterfall shinobi, though they weren’t the quality he would have chosen himself.

He could always get more later after all.

Sasori had generally left him up to his own devices while Deidara had been in and out. When the blonde was here he took a surprising amount of interest in Sasori’s work.

Judging by the bomber’s leaning and stray touches, Kakuzu concluded his interest was not purely academic.

Then without much warning Deidara had stormed in proudly with a bloodied sack and a grin on his face.

Kakuzu grimaced at the sight but said nothing. It did seem the most effective way to carry the many pieces that were Hidan.

Much to his relief, the younger immortal had been unconscious when Kakuzu began working away at piecing him back together. 

Deidara seemed disgruntled by the lack of thanks but was easily distracted by an interest in the process, as was Sasori. Kakuzu considered protesting but held his tongue. Hate it as he might he was able to do this only because of their work.

If they wanted to be an audience to this macabre affair then they could go right ahead. After he put the other immortal back together Kakuzu stepped back to look at his work.

“He looks worse than you!” Deidara exclaimed with gross delight and was given a warning whack on the back of the head from Sasori. Kakuzu was grateful for that even if it resulted in another round of bantering, which the banker considered to be their version of foreplay at this point.

Deidara hadn’t been wrong. Hidan was a messy assemblage of limbs that seemed to barely fit together despite once being a single form. 

In retrospect he thinks that this is what sparked his dominating regard for his partner. The way his threads coiled around each joint and weaved through the expanse of the other’s body. 

Hidan’s skin was bruised considerably in most areas and his broken bones were set into place but not healed. The pious fool wouldn’t be taking to his usual rituals for a while despite his superior healing.

A part of him wondered what sort of disarray the other immortal’s mind was in. Kakuzu never considered him crazy despite the amount of insults he hurled at Hidan; the man was rational in the sense that he was consistent in his thought process. 

Another part was relieved that was a battle they could fight another day. Even if Hidan was miraculously unfazed he would have been complaining to his heart’s content and only added fuel to ignite the artists, especially Deidara. The two argued at almost interaction they had, which wasn’t unusual for Hidan.

But Kakuzu allowed himself the curiosity in this moment and decided he would stick around to see. ‘Might as well make this a learning experience.’ he mused as he watched Hidan who was still as stone.

Kakuzu touched his hair gently without thinking. He was grateful neither of the artists commented if they had noticed as he wasn’t sure what he would have said in that moment other than a threat to not question it.

The only explanation he could come up with was that he was surprised it remained so pristine despite the ragged state of the rest of his body.

He jerked back his hand quickly and wiped it on his leg as if he touched something dirty. Not that Hidan wasn’t covered in filth.

That led Kakuzu to his next course of thought. He may have put the Jashinist back together but he still had his work cut out for him. He was covered in dirt and with the amount of open wounds he was bound to get an infection. He was also stark naked against the elements but that could easily get remedied.

His train of thought was cut off as both Sasori and Deidara stiffened. They stared straight ahead and said nothing. If Kakuzu didn’t know better he would assume they were under some sort of genjutsu.

 

But he did know better. They were talking to the rest of the Akatsuki, about what it didn’t really matter. 

It felt strange to watch the interaction, not because he missed being a part of the organization but simply not knowing what they were up to made him uneasy. They had threads that spread further than most knew and controlled many seemingly harmless aspects of communities that culminated in a wide range of information and power. It was dangerous to be unaware of what they were doing, as leaving the Akatsuki was never meant to be an option.

Kakuzu moved a bit closer to Hidan and waited for the conversation to finish. He felt a twinge of nervousness as he reached for his chakra and felt how depleted it still was.

Without those powerful hearts at his disposal a huge portion of his stronger ninjutsu were cut off from him.

Despite their assistance until this point Kakuzu couldn’t be sure about their intentions either. A debt was certainly being repaid but to what end?

He fixed the duo with a question glance as he stood closer to Hidan’s mangled body, coiling his threads within himself tightly so they were ready in case things went awry.

Deidara stretched his arms and stood up from his seated position on the ground as if he had been there for a long time. Sasori is the one who ending up summing up their talk with the leader “As reported by the Hidden Leaf and Zetsu’s investigation you’ve been declared dead.” 

He said this with in his usual monotone voice yet he had a small grin on his face. Kakuzu was sure in that smile was some smugness related to his concept of eternal art. The duo may have helped him but Kakuzu refused to put up with another lecture “Then it seems we will be taking our leave.” 

He said matter of factly, moving to gather what he had been able to recover. 

No one would question what he meant by ‘we.’ It went unspoken that Hidan would be coming with Kakuzu.

“That might be what’s best hmm.” Deidara agreed though he shot Hidan a somewhat concerned glance “I don’t know if that guy is up for it though.” They had just only put him back together and he showed no sign of waking up at this time.

“I know a place within the Land of Earth that takes in less than desirable customers from time to time.” Sasori mentioned offhandedly, turning to mix together one of his concoctions with Deidara turning back to watch with his usual interest. A place they visited a few years back crossed Kakuzu’s mind and he knew that was the one Sasori was speaking of.

The two pairs had met to pass on some information and take in some bounties. It had been less successful than anticipated from Hidan dragging out his rituals resulting in more attention being brought to them and Deidara deciding the best way to deal with it was to demonstrate his art. 

He met the memory with a disgusting sort of fondness despite being more than finished with both the bomber and zealot. Kakuzu supposed he would miss the consistency the Akatsuki offered if nothing else. 

Without a final word or gesture to either of them, Kakuzu gathered what little he had and hoisted Hidan up on his back. He was relieved his rather malnourished partner was light, even if he was nothing but dead weight.

Kakuzu left the hideout, which was located beneath a deserted town, and stepped outside. The night was dark without the moon and the cool breeze nipped at his exposed skin. He pushed back his hair with one hand as the other was placed firmly on Hidan.

The Jashinist was still as stone and didn’t react at all to the environment change, just as he did nothing as Kakuzu jostled him.

The first actual noise he made was when they arrived in the town near the inn. A low groaning had been the only warning of his awakening as Hidan sputtered roughly. 

Kakuzu placed him on the ground and forced him to sit up. Those usually vibrant and intense eyes stared ahead blankly, his brows furrowed, as he hacked up the dirt that had been trapped in his lungs.

Kakuzu kept his a hand placed firmly on Hidan’s back and watched him wearily, studying him. He hadn’t been sure how much time had passed since that encounter with the Hidden Leaf shinobi but it couldn’t have been more than a few weeks.

Sasori hadn’t exactly given him a timeline but Kakuzu had kept track of the passing days from when he first woke up.

It wasn’t a considerable amount of time, and he was sure Hidan’s body would recover. But looking at the way he held himself stiffly, as if he was unsure on how to move, and how he had such a blank expression was unnerving. 

Hidan leaned heavily back into the hand and closed his eyes when the coughing had ceased. Kakuzu shook him slightly to elicit a response and only received a quiet grunt in return.

“Hidan.” He said insistently, desiring some sort of response, anything to make Hidan look alive and not like a corpse. A joke Kisame had made a while back about them being zombies came back to him and he grimaced.

Hidan opened those wide, violet eyes once again and turned his head shakily to fix them on Kakuzu. He was pleased to see a flutter of recognition somewhere in there. Even if there was nothing now, he was sure there would be something down the line.

The former Waterfall nin accepted this response for now and turned to hoist Hidan onto his back once again.

Without a word, Hidan clambered on and wrapped his arms loosely around his neck. He felt those shaky breathes against his shoulder and those clammy fingers clasp at the material of his shirt.

He said nothing as he continued his journey and Hidan fell asleep soon enough if the evening out of his breaths were any indication.

He slept the rest of the way and was once again still as the dead when Kakuzu laid him down on the worn bed. He turned on the lamp that was sitting on top of the night stand to get a better look of his partner. Kakuzu examined him in the dim light and placed a hand on his forehead.

He let out a weary sigh at the sudden warmth that overtaken his Hidan, resigning himself to dealing with the fever that was setting in. In truth he expected some sickness to Hidan’s way.

Sasori's materials were good enough but the number of injuries Hidan sustained left too much room for infection.

He promised himself he would go over them in the morning and sat down on the bed. He fell asleep leaning against the head of the bed, watching the gentle rise and fall of Hidan's chest.

~~  
The next couple days went by idly enough. Kakuzu left to grab what the pair would need with the money he had, only forgoing his typical frugality when it came to buying the pair clothes.

They would stick out in a crowd even if they were presumably dead. He rather not bring attention to them while they were still so weak, with Hidan being generally unresponsive and sick and with Kakuzu only having two hearts.

He managed to take out a retired shinobi who settled nearby and made it look like an animal attack. It had been a risky enough endeavor that he didn’t intend on repeating until they moved further along.

Kakuzu only left in the evening when everyone’s sense were weary after a long day and were less prone to remember a stranger moving around. 

He picked up some food for the both of them from a local stand. The banker gritted his teeth at buying food that was already made as it generally was cheaper to make his own meals but he did not want to linger in the market longer than necessary.

He didn’t buy anything specific, it wasn’t like Hidan was in any position to protest. Most of their meals consisted of Kakuzu shoving whatever he got into Hidan’s mouth until the Jashinist figured out what to do. Then the disgruntled miser would continue on his own meal, watching as Hidan sloppily finished his. 

It wasn’t the fact that he was more of man-child than ever, Kakuzu was used to dragging Hidan one direction or another. But the lack of any kicking or screaming oddly disturbed him. 

 

He knew Hidan was able to understand him, he responded well enough to whatever commands Kakuzu would bark out. But if Kakuzu asked him something that required a response of any kind then all he would receive was a blank stare.

In retrospect the older immortal should have enjoyed the easy silence. He could make all the decisions without question ‘Just as things should be.’ He always told himself. Kakuzu had always been the brains of their partnership much as Hidan vehemently denied it. It had always felt like a constant standoff with Hidan even when it came to smaller decisions. The zealot always would insist on weighing in on their course of action even when Kakuzu knew better and it felt like any decision was a compromise of wills with the guarantee that they would push against each other soon enough. It had grated Kakuzu’s nerves until now.

When Hidan finally was able to put together words they hardly made sense. It was as if he were blurting out sounds that happened to form words.

Kakuzu had been sitting on the hard wooden chair that he placed beside the bed and figuring out how to ration out what they had for the next few weeks when the disheveled Jashinist had shocked him with a sudden howl. It was a broken sound, like his throat was filled with glass. Hidan’s eyes moved around the room frantically and his chest heaved as he breathed unevenly.

It was as if he had to remember how to breathe again despite clearing his throat of the dirt that clogged it a few days prior. His eyes were wide once again but this time unfocused as if he was unaware of his surroundings. The sweat dripping down his forehead wasn’t anything new though, his fever had yet to break hence why he was still in bad and Kakuzu hadn’t forced him to do much.

Hidan let out another sound, something between a whine and a snarl as he attempted to scramble to his feet. However his body was still weak from malnutrition and the wounds hadn’t healed nearly as well as Kakuzu expected.

Hidan managed to turn himself on his side and throw his legs over the edge of the bed. He didn’t have the strength to push himself up and merely slid off the bed and crumpled into a heap.

He let out a yelp and cursed ‘fuck’ loudly, which was amusing and fitting to Kakuzu. It was finally something familiar, showing that Hidan wasn’t entirely lost yet.

Immediately the older immortal moved toward Hidan who writhed on the ground, unable to stand up or drag himself. “The ground!” Hidan rasped out as scratched at the floor with already bloodied fingers “The ground!”

Kakuzu watched him for half a heartbeat, taking in the state of his partner. Some of his wounds reopened slightly from being jostled and rubbed against the scratchy material of the less than clean carpet of the room. Hidan’s eyes were wide and cast downwards, as if something terrible were in the ground below. He quivered pathetically which was probably equal parts fear and the cold of the room gripping his undressed, fevered body.

In short the usually proud immortal was a sniveling and bleeding mess.

Kakuzu would have thought this would annoy him or even concern him to a lesser degree. However that was not the case.

Kakuzu thinks this is the point where that seed, a drifting thought at best until then, had taken root. Hidan was at his complete mercy and there were no consequences in sight for abandoning him or turning him in for the bounty that was probably still on his head until the bingo book was updated.

Yet those weren’t the thoughts crossing his mind as he stared at the helpless man before him who let out a string of uneasy coughs and shouted “I’m stuck, I’m stuck!” 

Kakuzu thought back to all their fights, that struggle of wills he had been thinking about not too long ago. As awful as it was, at least for Hidan, it was finally over. It might have been out of pure luck, for lack of a better, that Kakuzu would be the one leading the way without resistance but it was a fact.

He would be the one to piece him back together, body and mind. He would fill in the gaps of whatever he lost during his time underground. He would make Hidan his own.

Of course he was considering the financial gain he would have. When the idiot actually used his head he was an unstoppable force. Had they not been separated when they fought the Hidden Leaf they would have one that fight, hence why the shadow brat made the effort to rile up Hidan and separate them. They were free to pursue whatever missions Kakuzu decided was best and Hidan would follow. He would have to.

Kakuzu didn’t expect Hidan to remain as pliant as he had earlier, but he could flip this dynamic as best he could. If he could make Hidan need him then the younger immortal was his.

Another side of Kakuzu scolded him for this train of thought, belittled the part of him that so desperately wanted this. The part that knew this was not a venture for purely financial gain. But for once the banker found he didn’t care. As far as he was concerned if things went awry he could easily remedy it or go his own separate way. It would only need to be as permanent as his own will.

Hidan’s shouts soon turned to quiet whimpers as Kakuzu ruminated this prospect carefully. “I’m stuck.” he repeated it like a mantra and with the certainty with which he spoke of his god. He curled in on himself, bringing his knees up to his chest as best he could and wrapping his arms tightly around himself. The blood on his fingertips were quickly drying unlike the sweat that seeped through his clothes. His eyes were tight shut as he continued to whisper to himself.

“Be quiet.” Kakuzu ordered quietly and immediately he quieted aside from those shaky breathes.

Then Hidan fixed him with the most desperate and earnest expression as he still lied on his side. He seemed unaware of the state of his body and the precarious position he was in. Kakuzu had the entirety of his attention, and no matter how small that may be it sent a thrill down Kakuzu’s spine. 

He continued in a curt tone “Sit up.” and the order was heeded immediately, though Hidan leaned heavily to one side. Those violet eyes never Kakuzu through the entire motion yet they still lacked that usual energy they had. Not that it mattered much to Kakuzu.

He stepped closer to the seated immortal who craned his head up to follow him and lowered it again when Kakuzu kneeled in front of him. Kakuzu placed a hand on Hidan’s shoulder, eliciting a shocked yelp. “Hush, you’re fine.” He told him in something that resembled a reassuring tone.

Though he didn’t fight back Hidan still shook and flinch when the threads that came from Kakuzu closed the few wounds that opened. The threads coiled around lightly, with a few strays draping lazily on Hidan’s shoulder. The Jashinist turned his head to eye them curiously then raised a tentative hand. 

Kakuzu kept the threads still as Hidan rubbed one with a forefinger before gingerly grasping one. 

Hidan fiddled with it quietly until Kakuzu was done and let go when the other threads began to retract. Hidan mumbled something that Kakuzu didn’t catch and so he turned a questioning gaze toward him.

He returned that stare with an almost bashful one, his eyes flicking from his hand resting on his lap back to Kakuzu. The older immortal looked down at the blooded fingers and sighed “Look what you did.” He said as he lifted Hidan’s hand up to eye level “Don’t do that, it’s a pain to clean.” He shook his hand for emphasis. Hidan responded to this with an apologetic frown but said nothing. 

“Hold still.” was his only warning as Kakuzu hoisted him back onto the bed with a grunt. 

Hidan wasn’t fighting him but he definitely wasn’t helping as he was dead weight in his arms, not that the banker expected much help from his mute companion. 

Kakuzu draped the throw blanket over him before stepping away to retrieve something to clean off the blood. He could feel Hidan’s stare on his back as he took his time to retrieve the towel he had been using to for Hidan’s forehead when his fever spiked.

The only sound in the room was Hidan’s somewhat heavy breathing and his own light footsteps creaking on the floor.

The miser grabbed the bucket of water he used to clean off Hidan as best he could. The task usually had him gritting his teeth in annoyance but he would be damned if he allowed Hidan to stink up the place. He couldn’t blame him much he supposed, he definitely could be a lot worse after his ordeal underground. 

That didn’t make this task any less mundane. The only bit of solace he got out of this was that it would pay off. Kakuzu cursed himself silently as he snatched up the bucket after refilling it with lukewarm water from the sink in that shoddy hole in the wall that was their bathroom.

‘I can just turn him in for a bounty if this doesn’t pan out.’ He assuaged himself with the thought and the confidence he had in his ability to do so. Hidan didn’t have any weapons and probably couldn’t put up a fight if he had his trademark scythe.

Initially Kakuzu was just going to throw the towel at Hidan so he could do it himself but he doubted he’d be able to clean himself without disturbing the delicate skin anymore than it had been. Hidan let out a soft sigh as Kakuzu went to work wiping down his hand and arm, shivering lightly at the touch. “Cold.” he breathed out. Kakuzu was unsure if he meant the towel or himself. 

He placed a hand on Hidan’s forehead and pushed the hair back slightly with that motion. The corner of Hidan’s mouth lifted in a lopsided smile and he closed his eyes with another sigh. The creases on his forehead evened out and he leaned forward, looking the epitome of contentment. A stark contrast to the trembling mess he had been a few minutes ago.

Those familiar violet eyes blinked open again and fixed onto Kakuzu. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but then closed his mouth and averted his gaze to the ground. His flushed cheeks from the fever that still coursed through him and the way he sniffled a bit from his congested nose was endearing.

Kakuzu considered giving Hidan something for the fever but held back for now. He was lucid enough to communicate in some way, if Hidan was truly uncomfortable he would find a way to convey it.

For now Kakuzu wanted to conserve supplies. The money had saved wasn’t diminished in any way but he rather not make any unnecessary purchases as he doubted their ability to bounty hunt would be back for a while.

That was anothing thing that was concerning him. Though Hidan had always been a handful for Kakuzu, it often felt like stomping out one fire after another, this was something he wasn’t sure how to deal with. Would Hidan be able to fight as he before? Maybe Kakuzu was fretting over nothing and Hidan would be his infuriating self soon enough.

‘One thing at a time, we aren’t out of the woods yet.’ He first need to ensure Hidan would be able to wield a weapon physically.

With that thought in mind Kakuzu stood up to grab some of the bottled water he stockpiled. He didn’t trust that murky fluid from the faucet to be safe enough for consumption, not with Hidan’s seemingly weakened constitution.

“You’re far.” His partner huffed out plaintively when Kakuzu moved away and the former Waterfall shinobi caught his pouting expression and accusing glare as he returned with a bottle of water. Hidan held a hand gingerly to his own forehead, replicating the position Kakuzu’s own hand was in.

Hidan shot Kakuzu a questioning glance and picked up the water bottle precariously as if he wasn’t sure what to do with it. “Drink.” Kakuzu ordered in exasperation. 

After watching the immortal idiot fumble with it for a painful few moments he snatched the bottle back and ignored the saddened expression on Hidan’s face. 

He didn’t pay any attention to the way he clasped at the blanket, lowered his head, and his brow furrowed as his face crumpled. 

Kakuzu unscrewed the cap and used one hand to hold the back of Hidan’s head to keep him in place and held the bottle close to his face “I didn’t get this for you to stare at it. Drink.” He ordered again. 

A low whine escaped Hidan’s throat in protest but Kakuzu was having none of that. He pressed Hidan’s head closer until the younger immortal complied and opened his mouth. He was careful not to pour too much in at once, he was trying to hydrate the fool, not drown him. 

Hidan continued to drink without any resistance until he was half way through and let out another low whine, trying to turn his head away despite being unable to from Kakuzu’s firm grasp.

Satisfied with how much Hidan drank, Kakuzu recapped the bottle and put it beside the bed. He paused for a moment before placing a hand on top of Hidan’s head and tousled those soft hairs a bit roughly "Good boy." He praised lightly.

He hadn't been sure what reaction he was expecting and was pleased to see that mournful expression on Hidan's face return to that peaceful one he had a few minutes earlier. 

"You're here." Hidan mumbled out after Kakuzu retracted his hand. The Jashinist fixed his gaze on Kakuzu who moved to stand up and gave him a soft smile. It was barely noticeable in the dim lighting of the room yet it seemed so open and vulnerable.

Hidan never was someone to hide his emotions, but the only time he ever seemed genuinely happy was when he was able to inflict terrible wounds on himself and others all the while screaming praise for that deity. 

Kakuzu let out a hum of approval "I'm here" he agreed softly "and while I'm here you listen to me." 

Hidan hadn't seemed particularly defiant throughout this ordeal but he felt it needed to be said aloud. All he got in response was a small nod and that same smile from Hidan. It would suffice for the time being.

His assurance in Hidan’s obedience didn’t last long as the Jashinist pitched a fit when Kakuzu pushed him to lie down.

At first he fixed Kakuzu with that look he had when Kakuzu snatched the water bottle. Next it turned to Hidan stubbornly planting his elbows down so he was in reclined position. “You need to rest so lie down.” Kakuzu growled out, his temper quickly boiling. 

Hidan turned his head to the side and refused to look at Kakuzu as he remained unyielding in that command. His defiance soon ended with a startled yelped as Kakuzu landed a fist right next to his head. “If that costs me anything I will bury you again myself. Lie down brat.” 

 

He pressed one hand against Hidan’s chest and shoved down. He watched Hidan flail and squirm under his hand with bemusement. Kakuzu had the chance to move around and fight since he had left Sasori’s hideout and was much stronger than Hidan the moment, a fact the younger immortal seemed to pick up on quick enough.

Hidan fixed those damned “puppy eyes” on him again and whined out “The ground” with such certainty, as if he expected Kakuzu to understand what he meant by that. 

“You’re an insufferable brat.” He informed Hidan who only sniffed heavily in response. The brat had no shame it seemed as tears welled up in those wide, scared eyes and he continued to thrash with the greatest effort he could muster, which wasn’t much.

It was when Hidan seemed to border hysterics that Kakuzu knew this wasn’t working. Hidan needed to rest but getting him to lie down just wasn’t happening. Kakuzu thought about simply knocking him out but that was just a short term solution. He needed Hidan to obey if his plans were to work out. 

He was disgusted by the idea of appeasement but it seemed that was the only way this would get done. 

Kakuzu lifted his hand off Hidan’s chest and allowed him to scramble back into a sitting position. Hidan brought his knees up to his chest and eyed Kakuzu warily. No, that wouldn’t do. He needed Hidan to trust him, to need him. 

It was then that Kakuzu remembered he had that damned rosary that Hidan would always wear even when he was otherwise stark naked. It spurred a lot of arguments in the beginning of their partnership, back when they needed to test the waters and see how hard they could push each other. There were equal parts of pleasure and dismay when they both realized they could push as hard as they wanted but the other would never budge.

It seemed almost wrong not to give it back. Deidara had snatched it up when he retrieved Hidan. Kakuzu wasn’t sure if it was intentional, it had been wedged between some bone or another. Kakuzu hadn’t thought to leave it and placed it on top of the nightstand until Hidan was coherent enough to appreciate the gesture. Even if Kakuzu didn’t respect his beast of a god he knew it held value to the younger immortal. 

Now as he stared at that bare chest, which was empty aside from the quickly fading wounds, he was left with a strange thought. Maybe he shouldn’t give it back. It was clear Hidan’s prayers weren’t the thing keeping him alive. Otherwise Deidara would have just brought back an assortment of limbs. 

Kakuzu never believed in his god but now it did bring to question where Hidan’s immortality truly came from. Did he possess a strain of kekkei genkai that had been lost with history or was it the result of something else? If Hidan’s immortality wasn’t linked to his precious Jashin, then how did Hidan come to the conclusion that they were?

It didn’t seem to matter at first but the more Kakuzu thought about it as he looked back at the other man, who looked completely exhausted yet refused to relax as he watched Kakuzu like a cornered animal, it was a crucial point to who Hidan was and his relations with other people.

Without his god, Hidan didn’t have the drive to make sacrifices and fight that malicious glee that defined much of who he was. It may make Hidan easier to manage, but Kakuzu couldn’t afford for Hidan not to have that willingness to fight.

Maybe Kakuzu was thinking too deeply about it, and Hidan would return to his beliefs on his own accord once he gained a semblance of coherence. 

For now Hidan’s obsession with Jashin would be on the backburner of things Kakuzu would need to accomplish. He needed Hidan to listen, and eventually follow through. If it came into conflict with his god at some point down the line then he would deal with it accordingly.

Kakuzu grabbed the newspaper he had been reading from the chair he had placed beside the bed. He wanted to stay up to date with events going around, especially now that he lost all his connections he had through the Akatsuki. 

Hidan leaned back a bit against the headboard, able to relax now that Kakuzu wouldn’t force him to lie down. He looked down at his hands and entertained himself with clenching and unclenching them one at a time. 

The younger immortal didn’t even seem to notice Kakuzu settling in beside him on the bed until Kakuzu placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him down. Hidan resisted for a moment, letting out a growl and putting his hands below himself to push up, but then he stilled when he noticed his head was lying in Kakuzu’s lap. 

In that moment he stared up at Kakuzu with frightened eyes, and he seemed more vulnerable now than when Kakuzu first put him back together.

He seemed so unsure and too still to be considered calm, it was as if he was too afraid to move. As if he were waiting for Kakuzu to make the first move.

So Kakuzu rubbed his shoulder absentmindedly with one hand and used the other to prop up the newspaper, his gaze never flicking away from the pages despite his attention not truly being on them. “You’re fine Hidan, it’s time to rest now. Be good and stay quiet.” He said quietly, barely above a whisper. “There isn’t much for you to do anyways.”

Hidan understood him well enough and that same, purely at ease smile came back to his face. He brought one hand to his chest and used the other to cling to the fabric of Kakuzu's pants as he shifted around to get into a comfortable position.

Kakuzu continued to lightly stroke Hidan's shoulder and arm until he fell asleep. The nasally sniffles that rhythmically came from Hidan reminded him that he ought to keep better track of his various wounds. Hidan was already sick, he didn’t want to risk further infection. 

Maybe he could show Hidan how to clean his own wounds, it would save Kakuzu a lot of time. Not that he didn’t have a lot of them these past few days.

He did wonder how Hidan would entertain himself when he regained some of his strength. Kakuzu was sure they wouldn’t be ready to go for at least a week if he wanted to leave without having to support Hidan much. Though that was depending on his quick healing that hadn’t seemed to kick in as of yet.

Hidan stiffened up suddenly and Kakuzu half expected him to become unruly once again. Hidan opened his eyes and let out a small yawn, rubbing his eye with the hand he had against his chest. 

Kakuzu was about to reprimand him for not going to sleep as he was ordered when Hidan mumbled out “I’m thirsty.” He stared up at Kakuzu with hopeful eyes, casting a quick glance to the water bottle that was definitely within the younger immortal’s reach. In his annoyance Kakuzu almost barked out for Hidan to grab it himself but stopped himself.

Hidan wasn’t asking for the water, he was asking if he could have it. 

“Get it yourself, brat.” Kakuzu said gruffly, leaning back to allow Hidan better access to it. Hidan nodded minutely in affirmation and propped himself up to reach over Kakuzu and grab it, confirming Kakuzu’s theory.

Kakuzu eyed him from the side and shifted his newspaper “Sit up or you’ll spill the water and choke. Put it back when you’re down then go back to sleep.”

Hidan didn’t say anything as he gingerly gripped the cap of the water bottle, twisting it with unnecessary precision. It would have been laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic. 

The sound of Hidan gulping down the water was grating to the nerves but he ignored it. At least he knew the idiot wouldn’t wither away without a word. 

Communication was never a critical point in their strategy, they spent more time arguing than strategizing even in the heat of battle. Even so, Kakuzu hoped he would have something to work with as Hidan regained his senses. Hidan had always been very reactive and handled himself well, if he relied Kakuzu too much for commands in that aspect then Kakuzu would have to change their entire strategy which wouldn’t be difficult per se, but tiresome. 

Again, Kakuzu supposed he was getting ahead of himself. He first needed to get Hidan back into fighting condition before he even considered bounty hunting. 

Once Hidan finished up, he placed the cap on painfully slow and put it back on the nightstand. Then with a hum of satisfaction Hidan returned to resting his head on Kakuzu's hand.

Kakuzu raised a brow questioningly when Hidan didn't go back to sleep as ordered. 

The brat gave him a cheeky grin, one containing a bit more of his personality, and grabbing Kakuzu's idle hand and placed it on top of his own head. 

Kakuzu continued to glare at him, pulling his hand away only for Hidan to grab it again with a frown. He used Kakuzu's hand to messily ruffle his hair and Kakuzu let out a weary sigh.

It really was too early to pinpoint where Hidan's personality was at this time. 

Opting to placate him rather than rile him up again, Kakuzu slowly scratched at Hidan's head in a similar manner from when he first tried to calm down Hidan.

This seemed to satisfy the scythe wielder, though Kakuzu wasn't sure if he could call him one if he didn't have his scythe anymore and he closed his eyes.

Within a couple minutes his breaths evened out and he twitched occasionally, indicating he went straight into a deep sleep.

Kakuzu looked at different ads through the paper. Nothing notable happened in the shinobi world, which didn't mean much. The Akatsuki had been around for nearly a decade and it was only recently nations were becoming aware of their presence. 

His partner hummed again in his sleep. Kakuzu ruffled his hair a bit roughly before retracting his hand to flip the page of the newspaper then returning it to scratch idly at his head.

It may be too early for him to figure out how much Hidan's behavior returned to normal but for now he was like a puppy. Helpless and a bit stupid, but impressionable and easily molded. If raised with a steady hand it would grow into the behaviors of its master and heed him closely.

With that thought in mind he continued to sift through the paper for information, and possibly a source of discreet income. 

Kakuzu wasn't sure when he fell asleep, if the pattern of waking and resting in 30 minute intervals could be called sleep. His senses were lowered considerably and his memory was blurred, so he believed he could call it sleep.

All he recalled is Hidan rousing every time he did and relaxing with a quiet reassurance and a rub of the head.  
~~~

That had been nearly a week ago.

Kakuzu knew they needed to move soon, as it had been almost two weeks at this point. 

They had enough money to last longer but the more they lingered the more Kakuzu feared they would be caught. By either shinobi from the Hidden Villages or the Akatsuki.

What sealed his decision to leave the next day was that he was beginning to get recognized around the area. The locals greeted him with a respectful familiarity and Kakuzu knew if questioned that they would easily be able to point out Kakuzu.

Killing the townspeople was an option he considered but brushed off. It would only bring more attention than his presence already had.

Preparing to leave was easy enough. Over the last few days he was able to buy what supplies he needed and steal a few others. Why waste the money they had left on things that store owners wouldn't miss?

With everything packed, all there was left was a good night's rest.

Hidan's strength improved a great deal and he could manage most tasks on his own. With Kakuzu’s guidance at times. The banker had learned the hard way not to let Hidan feed himself, or more precisely decided how much he ate, because he would eat until he was sick. The same came for bathing, Kakuzu had to time him otherwise Hidan would scrub away far longer than necessary.

Physically Hidan could do as much as an average person at this point. Which wasn’t much. Hidan hadn’t lost too much muscle mass in the past month and he trusted that muscle memory would kick in if there was a fight. He planned on going over the basics with Hidan once they left this village.

Kakuzu hadn't tested whether he could fight yet, he was recognizable enough without dragging Hidan outside for the town to gawk at. Hidan didn’t stand out much when he kept his mouth shut but having two strangers in their town would likely bring up troublesome gossip.

Though Hidan himself didn’t stand out much.

Whatever preserved Hidan also seemed to wipe away most scars that would normally appear. The only scars noticeable were two large gashes along his chest, a couple smaller scars on his wrists and the line where Kakuzu reattached his head. His hair hadn’t grown much either, it was the only part of Hidan that remained the same other than it being loose rather than slicked back.

Hidan's speech had not improved like the rest of his body. It was still restricted to simple one liners at best, most of which weren't very insightful. 

When he was uncomfortable anyway, be it hungry or in pain, he would put on that mournful expression that resembled a kicked puppy, fitting perfectly with the metaphor Kakuzu made earlier that week. 

The former Waterfall nin made a point to only respond to Hidan if he said something. Otherwise he would become too reliant on Kakuzu to interpret every expression and gesture. Hidan picked up on this soon enough and began to say simple things such as “This hurts” while gesturing to a wound that needed tending to, or “I’m tired” before staring at Kakuzu expectantly until he went to sit beside him. 

 

Kakuzu wanted to chalk it up to a simple lack of stimulus.

When Kakuzu wasn't ordering him around or reading aloud then Hidan had no reason to speak or anyone to speak to.

Kakuzu appreciated how docile the lack of speech seemed to make his partner. Hidan was much easier to manage when every word wasn't aimed to aggravate Kakuzu. 

Though he would need his arrogant partner back somewhat if they were to return to bounty hunting. Hidan's thoughtless provocations and excited banter brought a great deal of attention to him during a fight which made it easier for Kakuzu to pick riled up enemies off.

For now, the younger immortal was resting easily in his arms. Hidan no longer was sated by simply resting his head on his lap like the first night. Hidan was at the point where he needed more than a single point of contact, or else his sleep was interrupted with nightmares and overall was restless than Kakuzu.

At first Kakuzu would ignore him other than the simple pat of the head. Hidan responded well the with that through the first night but he quickly grew inconsolable which led them to their current predicament with Hidan resting more on Kakuzu than the bed.

Kakuzu was able to pinpoint the day this sleeping arrangement began.

~~~

 

It began with Hidan clinging to Kakuzu incessantly when he tried to move Hidan's head out of his lap after Kakuzu thought he was asleep.

Any slight movement would startle Hidan straight into a panic. He wouldn’t recognize his surroundings or Kakuzu and would lash out like a wild animal, trying to get as far away from Kakuzu as he could.

Kakuzu allowed him to do so the first couple times, watching him huddle pathetically in a corner and covering his head. His nonsensical sobs were only broken by rough coughs which escalated to choking then Kakuzu would intervene with a growl and drag Hidan back to bed.

He thought the rough motion of hauling Hidan over to the bed, ignoring his shaky sobs, startled Hidan back to awareness in his fevered state.

But when he grew tired of allowing Hidan to cry himself into exhaustion and sleep Kakuzu simply began to hold Hidan in place when he awoke in a panic. 

Hidan thrashed with his best effort, which was more than Kakuzu thought it would be, and cried out miserable as if Kakuzu were killing him. ‘I wonder what the residents think is going on here.’ Kakuzu didn’t want to concern himself with the thoughts of others but Hidan’s screaming was bound to bring someone who couldn’t mind their own business.

“Hidan, relax. No one is hurting you.” He reminded him collectedly. His struggles became less pronounced at that and he looked at Kakuzu with that same, open fear that he had when he first woke up. “The deer…” he stuttered out, tears running down his face and pushing weakly against Kakuzu “I need to leave.” He pleaded without reservation.

“There is no deer, and you aren’t going anywhere.” The stern reply froze Hidan in place “You need to start making sense if you want me to understand. Now go back to sleep.” 

Hidan reached forward hesitantly to hold onto one of Kakuzu’s arms. He wasn’t trying to push Kakuzu off anymore, the grip was too still and too clingy for that. 

Kakuzu eased up on the pressure and Hidan sat up slowly. He seemed to be waiting for Kakuzu to sit back down, clutching at the throw blanket that he had tossed off in his panic.

When Kakuzu sat back down Hidan scooted straight into his lap. Kakuzu leaned back and wanted to shove Hidan off to let him know that he couldn’t just jump onto Kakuzu whenever he felt.

He didn’t though, he couldn’t. Not with Hidan holding onto him like he was the only thing keeping Hidan alive. He continued to quiver as he shifted around, unable to find a comfortable position.

Hidan let out a quiet whimper when Kakuzu placed his hands on his shoulders, probably expecting Kakuzu to push him away as well. Much to the surprise of them both, Kakuzu simply turned Hidan around so his back was to Kakuzu’s chest. 

The Jashinist craned his head up to look at Kakuzu as best he could, confusion written all over his features. Beneath all that was a quiet plea, one that Hidan seemed just as afraid to make.

“I’m right here, neither of us are going anywhere.” He grabbed the throw blanket and placed it over Hidan so it was tucked just beneath his chin. Kakuzu reclined so the position was easier on both of their backs and he leaned back on the few pillows to remain propped up somewhat.

Hidan grabbed the hem of the blanket and nodded slowly, one of his first direct responses to Kakuzu. “Okay.” He said, his voice strained from all the yelling he had down moments prior.

Reassured by Kakuzu’s presence, and most definitely Kakuzu rubbing the side of his arms slowly, Hidan slipped back into sleep. 

That was the first night Hidan slept all the way through and the morning after he looked much healthier than he had been in days.

 

The former Waterfall shinobi decided that would be their routine at night, at least for now. If the only thing giving Hidan any peace of mind was Kakuzu then he knew they were on the right path.  
~~~~  
Kakuzu turned his attention back to the rosary that rested on top of the nightstand. 

In all of Hidan’s shouts, even in his fevered state, he hadn’t once mentioned any god, let alone Jashin.

Had he forgotten his precious lord? Kakuzu shook his head as he opened the small draw on the nightstand and carelessly dropped the beads into it before closing it with a sense of finality. 

Perhaps he stopped believing? That made more sense to Kakuzu. His belief was always foolish and it had too many flaws. Jashin always seemed more like a justification for who Hidan was, a way he used decipher the world.

One that in all aspects failed Hidan at last. If there was a Lord Jashin then Hidan was probably his most devout follower yet he did nothing to save him from an eternity in the dirt.

“You’ve always needed something more consistent to believe in.” Kakuzu informed the sleeping Hidan. The younger immortal blinked open his eyes slowly as if he sensed Kakuzu addressing him.

“Kakuzu” he mumbled sleepily, fixing those strangely innocent violet eyes on him “I’m tired.” Kakuzu wondered what terrible thoughts could be running rampant beneath that serene surface. Hidan was the type of person who raged, he still was somewhere inside. Kakuzu wouldn’t admit it, but he looked forward to the day it unleashed once again. Then they would be unstoppable, immortal.

Kakuzu pushed back some of Hidan’s hair with one hand, allowing his fingers to gently run over his cheeks. The pliant man beneath him sighed happily and his eyes closed a bit. Not all the way just yet.

Kakuzu put his hand over Hidan’s eyes “We need to get up early tomorrow, go to sleep.” When he moved his hand away from Hidan’s eyes they were closed. 

Kakuzu pulled Hidan closer to him and fixed the blanket evenly across the other man before following him into sleep.  
~~~~

“Are you going to want to use a scythe again? Or maybe a sword would suffice? I don’t think that’ll have enough reach.” Kakuzu said more than asked as the pair left the village. 

Hidan walked beside him briskly, looking as carefree as he usually did and said nothing, indicating how far he was from his usual state of mind still. His movements were fluid and his eyes sharp though, showing that he was alert.

The mention of his scythe elicited a small hum from the Jashinist. It would be expensive to replace the one he used before, and he wouldn’t be able to afford it for a while but maybe in the near future.

Hidan had been doing well, and it was important to to reward him carefully. Not enough to spoil him but enough to know that his life was better by following Kakuzu, something Hidan probably wouldn’t question for a time. 

Kakuzu never truly understood the former Hidden steam shinobi throughout the beginning of their partnership and he was only grasping where Hidan’s mind went at times. But it was in a decent enough spot to get on the move again.

At least he was well enough to not get disturbed by the screaming they could hear in the distance.

Sasori probably wouldn’t appreciate Kakuzu burning down the place his spies often used to lie low but Kakuzu couldn’t afford to have any record of him being there. 

He was able to snag another decent heart during an altercation a few days prior when he had been searching for good routes to take, even if he had been hoping for two. The shinobi hadn’t been expecting him so he was fortunate enough to have gotten anything. He left the corpses behind in the room they stayed in. Ideally they wouldn’t be recognizable and whatever traces Kakuzu and Hidan had left would stop at the scene of the fire.

“That sounds fun.” Hidan replied suddenly, tilting his head to grin at Kakuzu. His eyes didn’t have their old intensity and the grin was genuine rather than that insufferable arrogance. 

It was more personality than he had shown since he woke up nearly two weeks ago.

His grin grew wider as Kakuzu chuckled beneath the mask he wore, opting for his usual look. He had thought about getting one for Hidan as well. For practicality reasons it would make sense.

Kakuzu allowed himself to be sentimental in this one decision. Hidan had never enjoyed covering up and now it shouldn’t be different.

The only thing different was the rosary, which Kakuzu conveniently forgot in the nightstand. That damned thing meant a lot to Hidan and had plenty of meaning for Kakuzu as well. He hoped none of it survived that fire.

“It might.” Kakuzu agreed “But it’s a matter of efficiency. That scythe slowed you down too much for my liking. A spear might be easier to use for now. We’ll see.” Hidan’s only response was to nod quickly in agreement. 

One of his hands clutched at his chest and to an outsider it would just look like Hidan was making a fist. Kakuzu knew better, even if Hidan himself didn’t. He was gripping for that damned rosary, as if his hand remembered the motion despite Hidan not remembering it.

That didn’t really matter, Hidan wouldn’t be needing that anyways.

**Author's Note:**

> This turned out a lot longer than anticipated, and expanded a lot more on ideas than I initially planned. But I can say I'm proud at the very least. I am considering writing some of these events from Hidan's perspective, but first I plan to delve more in to Sasori and Deidara. I've never written those two before so I'm excited to explore their dynamic a bit more before getting started on other ideas. I hope this read was worthwhile, any feedback will be sincerely appreciated! Especially on the tags, I have no idea how to tag fics anymore haha. I hope you enjoyed this fic, and enjoy the rest of your day/night!


End file.
